A long-distance rower with a passion for Bermuda is the subject of Row Hard, No Excuses<$>, a documentary which screens tonight at the Little Theatre. Tom Mailhot travelled 3,000 miles — from the Canary Islands to Barbados — in the 2001 Transatlantic Rowing Challenge. The feat was made all the more adventurous by the sharks, dehydration, sleep-deprivation and saltwater sores which plagued him and his partner John Zeigler on the way.Their compelling tale will be shared with filmgoers during the tenth Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF) however some members of the audience might find parts of it familiar. In 2005, at the invitation of former Premier David Saul, Mr. Mailhot spoke at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) about his experiences in rowing competitions around the world.

“The Transatlantic Rowing Challenge, a two person, 3,000 mile race across the Atlantic Ocean from Tenerife to Barbados that takes between 50 and 100 days to complete, is the backdrop of Row Hard, No Excuse>,” reads the BIFF synopsis. “The race drives the story but this documentary is about the people. John Zeigler and Tom Mailhot, the Massachusetts team, determined to win the race. These two men are over 40, have trained for three years for this competition and are both searching for something in their lives. The challenges of the race, wind, water, sun, exhaustion and injury boil each team member down to his/her essence.”

There’s no doubt the journey was difficult — the film is graphic in its coverage of injuries collected along the way.

As described by Mr. Mailhot, who holds title to some of the most gruelling rowing competitions around the world: “It was harder than I expected. I had prepared myself mentally for it and John had also. I’d done other expeditions, I’d kayaked around the world, but I wasn’t prepared for what it would do physically to my body — the open sores and the strain. Rowing a 3,000 pound boat stretches every joint in your body.”

He was invited to participate by Mr. Zeigler, someone he’d met on the New England racing circuit and knew to be a competent oarsman.

“He came up to me after the Blackburn Challenge in ‘98 and showed me the brochure and asked if I wanted to do it,” Mr. Mailhot explained. “I saw a picture of the winning boat from ‘97 on the front cover and immediately said, ‘This is something I’ve got to do’.”

The race carried a $19,000 entry fee. The boat, which race regulations specified had to be built from a standard kit, cost $150,000. The winning prize — a trophy.

“And that was with a lot of donations and volunteer labour and material,” Mr. Mailhot exclaimed. “There’s an emblem of a moose on the side of American Star. It’s the nickname of a good friend of mine who’s 6 ft. 7 in. He was our main supporter, donating well over six figures. We also had a lot of smaller donations, anywhere from $5 to $5,000. We also sold T-shirts — although we probably only broke even on those because we gave a lot away — and we put in our own money.”

Another friend, Bill Wolbach contacted his son Luke, who was working in filmmaking in San Francisco. Together they determined to produce a documentary of the expedition with the son in the role of director. The pair interviewed the American rowers and their competitors, many of whom shared diaries of their individual journeys to give broader perspective to the film.

“When we got to Tenerife we knew other teams would (be capturing) footage and told them we were doing a documentary,” the rower said. “We took our handhold camera on the boat and the other teams had them as well. We actually would have filmed more, but with everything you have to do on a boat, it becomes a real effort.”Mr. Mailhot rowed the greater portion of the challenge naked, a pointer he claims he picked up from the 1997 winners.“I did it because of the friction,” he explained. “The Kiwis, who won the ‘97 race, said they found the best thing to do was to row without shorts with sheep’s wool on the seat.

“After two days I felt the friction of rowing and took my shorts off right there.

“John waited almost a week, until he’d developed a hole the size of a silver dollar in his (behind) which took almost five weeks to heal.“In the movie (it looks) as if we never got along. We had about three heated arguments — which is considered normal for such a race. We were on the boat for 58 days, not able to get more than eight feet away from each other. The arguments lasted all of five minutes and within ten minutes of them, we had shaken hands and got back on oars. It’s good to let steam off. We were the only US team. We were determined to show well and do well for everybody. It was amazing coming into Barbados, rounding the corner to see friends and family — it was one of the greatest feelings in my life.”The pair sold their boat after the race to a female team short on time but desperate to meet the challenge. Unfortunately they were unable to complete the journey and were forced to abandoI>American Star.

“That was tough,” Mr. Mailhot admitted. “It took us almost a year to build and another to fit it out with our kit. It was tough to sell but we agreed it was the thing to do, to move on. (The girls) were real enthusiastic and needed a boat desperately. Three months after American St<$>was lost, a fisherman in the West Indies found it in excellent condition. He towed it to shore. I think his first idea was to turn it into a fishing boat but he found the girls’ contact information on board and agreed to give it back.”

A chance meeting with Dr. Saul introduced the oarsman to Bermuda a couple of years later.

“I got a call at late notice a few years ago to guide a trip to Antarctica, to South Georgia Island. David was one of the people on the expedition and we spent a month sailing kayaks off South Georgia Island. I’ve since spent time with him doing a couple of ventures and we’ve become friends.

“He invited me down for the monthly lecture series the BUEI holds as a fundraiser and I did a short presentation piece on the rowing race.”

He never expected to be called back to the island with his film, Mr. Mailhot said.

“I was unaware of the film festival until a couple of years ago. We applied to a select number of festivals and were accepted but I’m excited about Bermuda. John can’t make it because of his business but I’m excited. It’s another chance for me to come and visit.”

Row Hard, No Excs<$> screens at the Little Theatre at 9.15 p.m. tonight and Sunday at the BUEI auditorium, at 6.30 p.m. Film tickets are $12.50 and available online at www.biff.bm, at the festival box office at No. 6 Terminal, Front Street and at theatres on the day of screening.